Yodelling Kishore da

Fictional minutes of an honour-able meeting

Salim didn’t get Anarkali in reel life. Kishore Kumar got her in real. And, in the 1958 hit Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi, the ‘motor mechanic’ even broke into her house in the dead of night to recover ‘paanch rupaiyaa baarah aana’. Among his countless fans, Kishore da not being conferred a Padma award is as big a topic of discussion as that elusive, princely amount, which he never got though Madhubala came to the Ganguly brothers’ garage to pay up the same. 

Even though the eccentric genius will remain king of hearts forever, award or no award, for academic purposes this reporter spoke to highly unreliable sources who recount what happens at the annual Padma award discussions when Kishore da’s name is discussed. It goes like this: 

Anglicised Babu with Oxbridge degree | That very famous singer, what’s his name, has not got a Padma so far. Maybe we should give it to him. I am told he sang well. Every year at the reunions all my friends sing his songs after a few drinks.

Desi Babu | Very right, Sir. I think you are referring to Kishore Kumar. Great singer.

AB | So, it’s him this year.

DB 2 | Sir, there’s a procedural issue. We’ve not been able to figure out for which of his skills he should get an award – singing, acting, production or direction. A high-level committee was set up to determine this in 1989. Their next meeting is in a couple of months. Its report is still awaited and we hope to get it soon.

DB 3 | Sir, All India Radio had banned Kishore songs during the emergency as he had refused to toe the then govt line. Honouring him now may set a bad precedent. Any great person taking ‘panga’ with govt would then expect the honour he/she deserves either ‘zindagi ke saath or zindagi ke baad’. In life or afterwards.

Neta ji | Kishore was born in Madhya Pradesh and lived in Mumbai. Perhaps we should consider his name closer to election in those places.

AB | Hmmm. Best to wait for the 1989 committee report. I have been informed a retired IAS, who was joint secretary when I joined the service, heads it now and the position comes with minister of state rank. We must give him some time. Let’s move to the next name now.